Moodle for Students

This course is designed to introduce you to Moodle and its basic features and functionalities. This course is arranged by topic and includes both text and video tutorials in each section. If you need additional help or resources, you can visit the links listed on the right under Resources. Happy Moodling!

Enrollment Questions:

Q. How do I enroll and unenroll in a class? A. Students are enrolled in Moodle courses based on registration. Enrollments are run daily through add/drop. If you don't see your Moodle course, contact your instructor first. Don't contact Helpdesk unless you have another Moodle related issue. Only instructors should enroll students after verifying that students are officially enrolled in the course.

Working in Moodle Questions:

Q. How do I add a profile picture?A. To add a profile picture, login to Moodle and click on the arrow by your name in the upper right corner. Then click on “Edit Profile.”

Scroll down until you see "User Picture". Check the Delete Box then Click the "Choose a File" button to find another picture to upload. Select it and then click "Update Profile" at the bottom.

Q. How do I add an alternate name to my Moodle profile?A. To add an alternate or preferred name in Moodle, log into Moodle and click on the arrow next to your username in the upper right. Select "Edit Profile".

Scroll down to Additional Names and add your alternate name in the space provided and click "Update Profile" at the bottom of the page.

Q. How do I customize my main page?A. The 'My Moodle' page is a "dashboard" page which users can customize with links to their courses and other blocks. There are six blocks which are displayed for all users: the Settings block, the My Courses block, the Navigation block, the Network Services block, the Useful Links block and the Calendar block. These blocks can't be deleted by the user, however any user can add new blocks to their page.

To personalize your My Moodle page:

Click on the "Customize this page" button in the top-right corner.

The Add Blocks menu will appear in the left column on this page.

You can choose the blocks you want to see on "My Moodle" such as "Latest News", "Quickmail", "Messages", etc.

You can change the position of the blocks by using the arrows you see at the top of each block.

Click on the image below to view it larger.

Q. How do I view my grades?A. When on your courses main page to see your grades, click on Grades in the Administration block.

Q.Why is my course average so low?A. Don't panic! Check with your professor to see how your grades are being calculated.

Q. How do I upload an assignment? A.Follow the directions below:

1. Click on the assignment

2. On the bottom of the next page, click on Add Submission.

3. When the box below appears you have the option to (1) Click and Drag a file to upload it or you can click the (2) Upload File icon.

4. You can click on any of the available repositories and login through Moodle to access your Dropbox, GoogleDocs, OneDrive, etc. files directly.

5. You can also upload a file that is saved on your computer, click Upload a File

6. Then Click Browse next to the attachment box, as seen below.

7. Navigate to your file and click Upload this file.

Then verify that your file has uploaded and click Save Changes

Q. How can I see if my file uploaded?A. If you want to view your submitted files you can click on the assignment and then under Settings>Assignment Administration>View My Submission, as seen below.

Another option is to click on the assignment after it has been submitted. The submission file, date, and time will be listed there.

Q.How can I see my recent assignment feedback?A. There are many ways you can access their feedback. The most common method is by simply going to the same place where you uploaded the work. Another method would be to access the grade book and then follow the link for the required assignment. Depending upon how the assignment was set up, you may receive an email when it has been marked with a direct link to the feedback.

Q.Why am I not getting any e-mails and others are?A. Chances are your email address in your profile is either wrong or disabled. It could also be that you are not subscribed to the forums that are generating emails.

Q. What is the difference between Messaging and Quickmail? A. The Moodle messaging system is internal to Moodle therefore all messages are sent and received within Moodle. Think of it as Moodle instant messaging. NOTE: By default, when a user receives a message and they are NOT actively online in Moodle, the message is also sent to the recipient via their configured email address. (Please note that the user does have the option of changing this to not receive messages via email.)Recipients, who ARE actively online in Moodle at the time the message is sent, receive an alert that they have a new message. To see a list of messages, click on the arrow by your name at the top of the page and then click the Messages button.

One drawback to using the Moodle messaging system is the inability to handle attachments and the inconsistency in getting the messages delivered to the course participants. This is because this system is designed more as an instant messaging medium rather than an email messaging system.

In the Messages window click on the Search tab to search for the person, if appropriate checking the box "Only in my courses", then click on their name. (Alternatively, if the person is listed in the Online Users block, simply click on the "Add/send message" envelope opposite their name.)

Type the message in the pop-up box then click on the "Send message" button.

A. The Quickmail block is an add-on to Moodle that allows a user to send e-mail to anyone in the class. The e-mail is composed and sent in Moodle, but receivedin the user's regular e-mail (Outlook, webmail, Entourage, etc.). NOTE: The Quickmail block is usually a part of most courses, however if you do not see it contact the instructor.

The image to the right shows how Quickmail will appear when added to a course. The three links are described as follows:

Compose: takes you to Quickmail's email composition page.

History: takes you to a history of all your emails sent by Quickmail in the current course.

Configuration: takes you to Quickmail's configuration screen; the same configuration screen as the block's edit button when course editing is turned on. This link only appears for course teachers and administrators.

Q. How do I stop/start receiving e-mail from a discussion forum?A. When a person is subscribed to a forum it means that they will be sent email copies of every subsequent post in that forum. Posters have 30 minutes by default to edit their post before it is sent though. If you are receiving e-mails from a forum discussion and would like to change this option, check the following:

1. Individual forum subscription: Check within the discussion forum itself. Click on the forum then Settings>Forum Administration. Click the ‘Subscribe to this forum’ or ‘Unsubscribe from this forum’ in the side block. Change the subscription settings to the option you want.

2. Forced forum subscription: The professor can decide to force all students to receive forum e-mails. Often times this is the case for the News Forum or Announcements. Contact your professor to see if this setting is on or can be changed.

**BEFORE PARTICIPATING IN THE CHAT, CLICK ENROLL ME IN MOODLE FOR STUDENTS**

Please use this chat as practice for your courses.

Exploring The Moodle Homepage

myMoodle Page

myMoodle is the first page that every Moodle user sees after they login. The myMoodle page is unique to each user and can be customized. To customize the myMoodle page you will click on the Customize my Page button located in the upper right. Once customization is turned on, users can move and add blocks. Blocks are items which may be added to the left or right or center column of any page in Moodle. Blocks are tools that let you add functionality to your course. Some blocks are constant, but others can be turned on and off, and moved around. Blocks can be added and moved to best suit their needs. Please see the image below for more detail.

Save

Docking Blocks

You can tuck away your extra blocks to increase your screen size. This is helpful if you're reading online, or updating grades.

Click the dock icon and move a block.

It will now appear in the grey bar along the perimeter of the window.

To un-dock your blocks, click the undock icon on the individual block .

Or, scroll down and use the icon on the lower left of your page to undock ALL blocks.

Save

User Profile

Add Profile Picture

1. To add a profile picture, login to Moodle and click on Your Name at the top of the screen. Select "Preferences"

2. Click "Edit Profile"

3. Scroll down until you see "User Picture". Either click the "Add a File" button to find another picture to upload or drag and drop a picture file into the box. Then click "Update Profile" at the bottom.

Adjust Profile Settings for Forums

There are 3 settings in the User Profile that deal with forums.

1. Email digest type - This setting determines how you receive any posts from Forums to which you are subscribed, allowing you to receive messages individually or on a daily basis.

2. Forum auto-subscribe - This setting lets you decide if you want email copies of posts that are added to forums. If you set this to subscribe, the system will automatically email you copies of new posts in forums that you post in, unless you manually override it when posting.

Using the Breadcrumb Trail

In web design the breadcrumb trail is a navigation aid used in user interfaces. It gives users a way to keep track of their location within programs or documents. Breadcrumbs typically appear horizontally across the top of a web page, usually below title bars or headers. They provide links back to each previous page the user navigated through to get to the current page or—in hierarchical site structures—the parent pages of the current one. Breadcrumbs provide a trail for the user to follow back to the starting or entry point. Here is an example of the Moodle Breadcrumb Trail:

Save

Accessing Grades

Accessing Grades

When on your courses main page to see your grades, click on Grades in the Administration block.

Save

Sending Emails/Messages

Sending Messages

The Moodle messaging system is internal to Moodle therefore all messages are sent and received within Moodle. Think of it as Moodle instant messaging. NOTE: By default, when a user receives a message and they are NOT actively online in Moodle, the message is also sent to the recipient via their configured email address. Recipients, who ARE actively online in Moodle at the time the message is sent, receive an alert that they have a new message. To see a list of messages, click on the arrow next to your name at the top of the page and then click the Messages button.

One drawback to using the Moodle messaging system is the inability to handle attachments and the inconsistency in getting the messages delivered to the course participants. This is because this system is designed more as an instant messaging medium rather than an email messaging system.

In the Messages window click on the Search tab to search for the person, if appropriate checking the box "Only in my courses", then click on their name. (Alternatively, if the person is listed in the Online Users block, simply click on the "Add/send message" envelope opposite their name.)

Type the message in the pop-up box then click on the "Send message" button.

Sending Emails

The Quickmail block is an add-on to Moodle that allows a user to send e-mail to anyone in the class. The e-mail is composed and sent in Moodle, but receivedin the user's regular e-mail (Outlook, webmail, etc.). NOTE: The Quickmail block is usually a part of most courses, however if you do not see it contact the instructor.

The image to the right shows how Quickmail will appear when added to a course. The three links are described as follows:

Compose: takes you to Quickmail's email composition page.

History: takes you to a history of all your emails sent by Quickmail in the current course.

Configuration: takes you to Quickmail's configuration screen; the same configuration screen as the block's edit button when course editing is turned on. This link only appears for course teachers and administrators.

Save

Accessing Resources

Where do I get files my instructor posted?

Although instructors may organize their Moodle courses differently, you can always find your files in the central course content area in the middle of your Moodle course page. You can often find the files you need in a section labeled for the current week or the specific topic you are covering in class, but this will depend on how a specific course is organized.

How do files download?

When you click on the names of files in the central course content area of Moodle, the files will generally download to your computer. How and where the files download will depend on on the Web browser you are using to work in Moodle and how the browser is configured.

If you're not sure that a file has downloaded, look to see if your browser has opened a separate downloads window, which may be hidden by another window on your screen.

Many browsers are set to prevent files from downloading automatically unless you approve. You may need to confirm the download in a notification window or pop-up. Where this notification appears will vary from browser to browser. Check the bottom or top of the page, as notifications may appear there.

Where did the file go?

Every browser has a setting for where it downloads files by default. You can typically change this in the browser’s Preferences or Settings screen.

I still can't find or open a file. What should I do?

You may want to try a different browser, and make sure you have the right software to view the file. Check Browser Recommendations for Moodle for alternate web browsers and software to open common file formats like PDFs.

Your instructor may not have set files to download to your computer. They may open in a new browser window, or be embedded into a Moodle page. If you are having trouble viewing these files, contact the Chatham HelpDesk.

How do I upload files?

Drag and Drop Files Upload within an Activity

Drag Files directly from your computer desktop or an application window into a Moodle course.

When uploading files from within an activity, for example, if you are a student submitting an Assignment, or an instructor adding resources using the Activity chooser, you can drag and drop files directly into the Files area. (This avoids the need to use the Moodle File picker when uploading a file.)

Step 1: Arrange your computer desktop windows so that you can view both your browser window and your files on your computer (e.g., in an open folder or on your desktop).

Step 2: Drag files from your computer, and release them on top of the big blue arrow in the Files area.Note: If adding additional files, when you drag a file over the Files area, the big blue arrow will reappear.

Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save changes (or Post to Forum if attaching a file to a forum).

Known Issues

This feature works with recent versions of Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari.

Drag-and-dropdoes not work with Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 or earlier, or Safari 5.x or earlier.

If you aren't able to reliably rearrange resources that you have just uploaded, refresh the page.

You cannot drag and drop a Folder of files into Moodle.

Save

Moodle Respositories

A repository can be thought of as a storage area from which users can retrieve files to add to their courses and assignments. There are several repositories available in Moodle including Google Docs, Flickr, YouTube and Dropbox.

Click on any assignment or forum post that may require a file upload. Then click Add.

When the file picker appears you will see several reposititories to choose from. The default is Upload a File, which will allow you to upload a file from your computer. However, there are also several other places to upload files from and in this example we will use Google Docs.

Click on the repository (Google Docs) and then click Login.

When the box below pops up, you may have to enter your account information and then click the Accept Button.

A list of all the files available in your Google Docs account will appear in the File Picker. To adjust how the files are listed you can click on the Display Buttons in the upper corner.

Click on the file you would like to add. The following box will appear with some settings that you can adjust, such as the Save as field. When you are satisfied, click Select this file.

Then verify your file upload and click the button to finish the file submission/post/upload process.

Practice

For Practice, please visit the Moodle For Students page and click on the Enroll Me link. You can then practice uploading a file from a repository in the Practice Area at the bottom of the page. When you have finished, please click the Unenroll me from Moodle For Students.

Web Browser Recommendations

The following browser recommendations and settings will improve your experience using Moodle and ensure access to the activities and tools in your Moodle courses.Note: Chatham University Computer Classrooms and Lab computers are set up for Moodle.

Browser Versions

For security reasons, Chatham University recommends updating browsers to the most recent version for your operating system.

Recommended browsers and versions

Recommended browsers for the best experience in Moodle:

Firefox, most recent version

Chrome, most recent version

Other browsers and versions

Moodle will also operate on the browsers listed below, but with qualifications:

Safari

Only the most recent version of Safari supports drag-and-drop upload

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer may not support drag-and-drop upload

Internet Explorer may cause layout bugs: On some Moodle pages, I.E. will not display the layout correctly unless the browser is operating in compatibility mode. To turn on compatibility mode in I.E. 9, in the tool bar, click the Compatibility Mode icon (to right of address bar). Compatibility Mode is enabled when the icon is shaded dark.

Browser Settings

The following browser settings should be selected:

Enable Cookies

Enable JavaScript* Note: JavaScript is NOT the same as Java. Moodle does not require Java. * Some devices such as Smartboards and certain tablet PCs with touch screen capabilities may exhibit problems with Moodle's drag-and-drop features. If you experience problems with such devices, you may wish to use a desktop computer when you need these features. You can also turn off JavaScript in your browser (see below) and use the alternative interface instead of drag-and-drop. For more on Moodle's drag-and-drop features, see Drag and Drop Upload in Moodle.

Browser Troubleshooting

Check to see if your problem is related to known issues with your browser version, above.

2. Clear your browser's cache.

Clearing your browser's cache may help to resolve problems such as trouble using drag-and-drop features, or trouble viewing the gradebook. See Clear Your Bowser's Cache.

3. Try a different browser, and/or move to a different computer.

You may find it helpful to have more than one browser installed on your computer. If you run into problems using Moodle, moving to another browser may resolve your issues. You can also try moving to a different computer to see if the problem persists. This may help to discern whether your issue was a problem with the browser on the computer where you experienced the issue, or with Moodle.

4. Still having problems?

If the issue persists in several browsers, and on different computers, please report your problem to the Chatham University HelpDesk for assistance at https://services.chatham.edu.

Hoonuit - Video Tutorials

Chatham University uses Hoonuit as an online software training resource for faculty, staff and students. Hoonuit provides training on over 250 of the most commonly used software applications, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Moodle and many more. The site breaks down each application into manageable tasks and explains each task through a one- to three-minute tutorial. You can view a tutorial when you have a quick question about a program you're using, or you can view a series of tutorials and master an entire application. Over 500 new tutorials are added to the site every 45 days, so you should check back often. To access the site, first login to my.Chathamthen look for Technology Tutorials (Hoonuit) in Quick Links under the calendar on the left. If prompted, please use your Chatham username and password.

Hoonuit provides 52 tutorials on using Moodle!

Use your Chatham Email Address and Password to login to view the videos below.